B46 Select Bus Service Update Community Board 1 Transportation - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

B46 Select Bus Service Update Community Board 1 Transportation Committee Meeting | March 17, 2015 New York City Transit

Agenda 1. Provide update about the B46 SBS project 2. Present draft service plan for B46 SBS and B46 local 3. Discuss plans and identify key comments and issues 2

Project Background The Utica Avenue B46 corridor was identified as a potential candidate for Select Bus Service in the 2009 Bus Rapid Transit Phase II Study. • Ranked by community as one of two Residents Mode to Work corridors most in need of improvements 5% 10% • Characterized by slow and crowded trips • Second-busiest bus route in NYC, carrying nearly 50,000 passengers per day 24% 61% Crucial connection to 34AC trains and • 30 bus routes Transit Driving • Bus lanes implemented in 2014 in portion Walk / Bicycle Other of corridor, improving bus and vehicle travel times Source: 2008-2012 ACS 5-Year Estimates ¼ mile from Utica corridor 3

Williamsburg Bridge Plaza Utica Avenue Select Bus Service B46 Limited to be upgraded to B46 SBS, which will include: • Off-board fare collection • Dedicated bus lanes (possible extension south of Church Avenue) 2014 Bus • Transit signal priority Lanes • Service changes to improve reliability • Capital improvements at SBS stations  Real-time passenger information  Bus bulbs (sidewalk extensions at bus stops)  Pedestrian safety enhancements at complex intersections  New shelters, plantings, benches, etc. Kings 4 Plaza

Utica Avenue Outreach Outreach for the 2014 Bus Improvement Project (2013-2014) • Meetings with Community Boards, local businesses, and elected officials v Outreach for Select Bus Service • Community Advisory Committee Meeting #1 (September 2014) • Public Workshop #1 (November 2014) • Presentation to CB8 - Transportation Committee (November 2014) • Community Advisory Committee Meeting #2 (February 2015) • Presentation to CB3 – Transportation Committee (March 2015) • Presentation to CB4 – Transportation Committee (March 2015) 5

What We’ve Heard Transit Concerns • Crowding (especially during rush hour) • Bus bunching / reliability • Confusing service pattern • Amount of service to Williamsburg • Lack of real-time information Traffic Concerns • Double parking • Congestion / slow bus trips • Bus lane being blocked / lack of enforcement Safety Concerns • Pedestrian safety at complex intersections • Dangerous driver behavior / speeding • Lighting at night 6

Northbound Ridership • High ridership at many existing B46 Limited stops, particularly those with subway/bus transfers • Largest percentage of riders are traveling north to or south from 34 at Eastern Pkwy or AC at Fulton St • Only 9% of riders travel between Broadway and the rest of the route Top 5 Busiest Stops Top 5 Least Busy Stops Eastern Pkwy Broadway & Arion Pl Fulton St Broadway & Boerum St Church Ave Broadway & Willoughby Empire Blvd Broadway & Malcolm X Ave H Broadway & Hooper St 7

Bus Speeds On average, the B46 LTD runs at 7.5 mph during the AM peak and 6.5 mph during the PM peak Causes of slow speeds are: • Busy stops • Delay due to double-parking, turning vehicles, etc. • Congestion • Red lights Bus Speeds (mph) B46 LTD B46 LTD average weekday average weekday 6-10 AM 4-7 PM 8

Current B46 Local and LTD Service Pattern • B46 LTD generally travels between Kings Plaza and Williamsburg Bridge Plaza • B46 LTD makes all local stops north of DeKalb Ave and south of Ave H • B46 Local generally travels between Kings Plaza and DeKalb Ave 9

Proposed B46 Stations and Service Pattern • Maintain high-ridership Limited stops and key transfers • SBS will make Limited stops south of Avenue H, as it will elsewhere • Extend local service to full corridor, 24 hours per day • Northern terminal of SBS will be DeKalb Ave to increase reliability and better serve busiest portion of route • Only 9% of riders travel between Broadway and the rest of the route, yet Broadway section is 24% of route miles and has the slowest speeds 10

Proposed B46 SBS Stations 11

Proposed B46 Service Changes Brooklyn Community Board 1 12

Next Steps Spring 2015 • Finalize service plan for B46 SBS and B46 local • Develop conceptual street design changes south of Church Avenue and north of St John’s Place (if any) • Present to other Community Boards along corridor • Public Open House Thursday, March 19 th at 6:00pm Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center Ballroom 585 Schenectady Ave (b/w Rutland Rd & Winthrop St) Brooklyn, NY Summer 2015 • Develop corridor plan • Develop implementation plan 13

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